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Polymer emulsions for use in crude oil recovery

a technology of polymer emulsions and crude oil, which is applied in the direction of fluid removal, chemistry apparatus and processes, and wellbore/well accessories, etc., can solve the problems of poor sweep efficiency, and low molecular weight recovery, so as to increase improve the recovery of crude oil. , the effect of increasing the recovery of crude oil

Active Publication Date: 2016-02-04
CHAMPIONX USA INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention describes a method for increasing the recovery of crude oil from underground oil-containing formations. This is done by injecting an aqueous flooding fluid into a well that is in contact with the formation. The flooding fluid comprises an emulsion of water and oil, with the water phase containing a specific type of polymer that breaks down to form a cross-linked polymer with fewer cross-links. The flooding fluid also contains a surfactant that helps to keep the oil and water mixed together. The method results in improved oil recovery and reduced damage to the formation.

Problems solved by technology

One problem encountered with waterflooding operations is the relatively poor sweep efficiency of the water, i.e., the water can channel through certain portions of the reservoir as it travels from the injection well(s) to the production well(s), thereby bypassing other portions of the reservoir.
Poor sweep efficiency can be due, for example, to differences in the mobility of the water versus that of the oil, and permeability variations within the reservoir, which encourage flow through some portions of the reservoir and not others.
These media are more viscous than ordinary water or brine, but often undergo molecular weight breakdown or degradation due to shear, temperature, oxidative stress, and physical force of the wellbore.

Method used

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  • Polymer emulsions for use in crude oil recovery
  • Polymer emulsions for use in crude oil recovery

Examples

Experimental program
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example 1

General Procedure for Preparation of Poly(Acrylic Acid-Acrylamide)

[0207]A poly(acrylic acid-acrylamide) product was produced by polymerizing a water-in-oil emulsion including an aqueous monomer phase and an external hydrocarbon oil phase. The monomer phase included an aqueous mixture of about 29 mole % of acrylic acid and 71 mole % of acrylamide, neutralized in an ice bath with a sodium hydroxide solution to pH 7-8.5. In addition, a cross-linker of glyoxal bisacrylamide containing solution, a chain transfer agent of sodium formate, and a chelant of tetrasodium diethylenediaminetetraacetate were added to the monomer phase. The glyoxal bisacrylamide-containing solution was prepared by adding glyoxal into an acrylamide aqueous solution neutralized with a sodium hydroxide solution to pH 8 to 8.5 and stirring the mixture at 37° C. for 2 to 3 hours. The oil phase included a hydrocarbon oil and one or more surfactants.

[0208]The emulsion was formed by adding the monomer phase to the oil pha...

example 2

Product I

[0211]Product I was produced by following the general procedure of Example 1. The monomer phase consisted of 370.676 g of 50.30 wt. % acrylamide, 137.082 g of deionized water and 78.730 g of acrylic acid, neutralized in an ice-bath with 84.000 g of 50 wt. % aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. In addition, a glyoxal bisacrylamide-containing solution comprising of 0.120 g of 1 wt. % glyoxal solution, 9.940 g of 50.3 wt. % acrylamide and 0.80 g of 1 wt. % sodium hydroxide solution, 0.350 g of sodium formate and 0.090 g of tetrasodium diethylenediaminetetraacetate were added to the monomer phase. The oil phase consisted of 280.000 g of a parrafinic solvent (Exxsol D80), 13.060 g of sorbitan monooleate (Span® 80) and 21.940 g of polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween® 85). For the polymerization, 0.528 g of 2,2′-azobisisobutryonitrile was used.

example 3

Product II

[0212]Product II was produced by following the general procedure of Example 1. The monomer phase consisted of 370.676 g of 50.30 wt. % acrylamide, 137.257 g of deionized water and 78.730 g of acrylic acid, neutralized in an ice bath with 84.000 g of 50 wt. % aqueous sodium hydroxide solution. In addition, a glyoxal bisacrylamide containing solution comprising of 0.120 g of 1 wt. % glyoxal solution, 9.940 g of 50.3 wt. % acylamide and 0.80 g of 1 wt. % sodium hydroxide solution, 0.175 g of sodium formate and 0.090 g of tetrasodium diethylenediaminetetraacetate were added to the monomer phase. The oil phase consisted of 280.000 g of parrafinic solvent (Exxsol D80), 13.060 g of sorbitan monooleate (Span® 80) and 21.940 g of polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate (Tween® 85). For the polymerization, 0.528 g of 2,2′-azobisisobutryonitrile was used.

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PUM

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Abstract

Emulsions of mobility control polymers can be used to increase recovery of crude oil from a subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formation. A flooding fluid comprising the polymer emulsions are injected into a well that is in contact with the subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formation. The polymers can be temporarily cross-linked and have protected shear degradation and improved injectivity into the well; the shear resistance can be measured in terms of viscosity loss due to shear, and the improved injectivity can be measured in terms of the flooding fluid's filter ratio, flow rate, and viscosity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to improved emulsions of mobility control polymers that can be used to increase recovery of crude oil from a subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formation. A flooding fluid comprising the polymer emulsions are injected into a well that is in contact with the subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formation. The polymers can be temporarily cross-linked via labile cross-linking moieties resulting in shear protection and improved injectivity into the well Shear protection can be measured in terms of viscosity loss due to shear, and the improved injectivity can be measured in terms of the flooding fluid's filter ratio, flow rate, and viscosity.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]In the recovery of oil from oil-bearing reservoirs, it is typically possible to recover only minor portions of the original oil in place by primary recovery methods which utilize only the natural forces present in the reservoir. Thus a variety of supplemental t...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): C09K8/588C09K8/584E21B43/16
CPCC09K8/584C09K8/588E21B43/16C09K8/58C09K8/60
Inventor LI, XIAOJIN HARRYREED, PETER E.ANDREWS, WILLIAM J.
Owner CHAMPIONX USA INC
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